Shielded from Grace

Holy Cow!  It has been almost two months since my last post.  To be honest, I've had writers block.  Not to many ideas.  Not a whole lot of time to devote to writing either.  My prayer life has been abysmal.  And guess what? I feel like I'm in the desert.  If you look at this post, I think I'd be somewhere near the bottom of the cosine.  Do you think there is any coincidence?

For me, being in tune with the Father starts with a good prayer life.  It is the foundation on which all things are built.  The best results for me are when I start and end the day in prayer.

With the exception of going to Mass every week, and bible study when my business travel allows, I have not been too good a son to the Father nor a good brother to the Son.  In a way, I think that not having a good prayer life and/or not participating in the sacraments shields you from the Grace of God.  In much the same way as a child/teenager shuts themselves in their room and locks the door.  They are trying to shut out their parents.  It is the only place that they can go and (hopefully) be alone.  They are shielding themselves from their parents and what they consider prying questions or interference from their parents.

But the question is, why do we want to shut out the Father and his grace?  I think with me it just starts with being tired and frustrated with work and skipping prayer once.  If we don't have enough discipline to get back on track, we hit the downward slope of the cosine curve.  Hopefully we realize where we are going and get back on track.

Thankfully, the Good Shepherd is always glad to have us back in the fold.

Blessings

Tim

Prayer for Patience

I have a problem with patience. There is nothing wrong with patience, I just don't have enough of it. Through the Father, all things are possible. During my prayers, I ask for help with patience. One day, I was struck with the thought that I need to write a prayer for patience. Here is what I came up with. Be gentle.

My Father,
only through you are all things possible.

By your Grace, I am made whole.
You complete me.

Help me to recall
- the joyful noise that was their first cry.
- the unconditional love I felt when I first held them.
- the joy and pride in each small accomplishment.

Help me to remember that they are a precious gift from you. Left in my care for what seems like a lifetime but is gone in the blink of an eye.

That however impatient or angry that I may be with them, they will learn from my words and actions. Help me to remember that by teaching them these things, I am perpetuating that which must stop.

Help me to remember that I am called to protect, teach, and above all, love them as you love me.

Help me to unshackle myself from
- the stress and fatigue of the work day.
- the crush of the pressure from the World.
- the anxiety from the uncertainty of these tough economic times.

Father, I know that through you, all things are possible. Complete me with the grace of patience and perspective so that I may fulfill my sacred duty as husband and father.

Lord Jesus, pray for me.
Your Holiness JP II, pray for me.
St. Joseph, pray for me

Amen

Blessings

Tim

Lack of Worship

and lack of prayer, fellowship, and participation accelerates the corrosion.

Blessings

tim

"My soul is sorrowful even to death."

I read this story and "my soul is sorrowful even to death."  It aches.  Granted the baby was born so premature that it may not have survived.  But they didn't even try...

All I can think about...to say...to pray is:  Father I am sorry.  I'm sorry we have lost our way.  I'm sorry that we have so objectified all that you created that the only thing that matters is our own wishes, desires, our own happiness. Why don't we understand that only through conforming our will to Yours will we ever be happy?  I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Forgive us.  Forgive me for not doing enough.

Pray that we can all do a little more.

Tim

Blessed are those...

Blessed are those that can begin to understand and feel the love ofthe Father before they become fathers.

I wish I had put down the "shields" to His Grace a lot earlier in my life. I thank Him for penetrating those shields and for his only Son for showing us the way.

Blessings

Tim